Farmer’s Lung: The Invisible Killer in Fields and Gardens
A Personal Loss, A Call for Awareness
I recently saw a respected influencer friend of mine post a picture of himself in the garden, hands in the soil, fully immersed in the moment. I think he is an amazing influencer (@farmernick on IG), and I love the work he does—but that image triggered something in me. It reminded me of my father, who spent so much of his free time working in his beloved gardens never thinking that the very air he breathed would one day take his life.
A little over 5 years ago, my father started being short of breath and more exhausted then usual from full days of gardening across the 20 raised beds and 3 greenhouses at our family's country house. At first, he brushed it off as just another part of aging. But by the time he sought help, we learned his lungs were irreversibly scarred. Farmer’s Lung—a disease I had never event heard of—was stealing him away. His breathing became more labored, his body weaker, until finally, it claimed his life.
Today’s article is a PSA for the gardening and farming community about this relatively unknown disease. I’m sharing this because I don’t want another farmer or gardener to suffer in silence. Awareness could have saved my father, and it can save others.
What Is Farmer’s Lung?
Farmer’s Lung is an allergic reaction caused by inhaling mold spores found in hay, straw, grain, and compost. These spores, invisible to the naked eye, thrive in damp organic material and become airborne when disturbed. Once inhaled, they trigger an immune response that can lead to chronic lung inflammation, scarring, and, in severe cases, respiratory failure.
While it primarily affects farmers, anyone working with organic dust—gardeners, greenhouse workers, and even people handling compost—can develop the disease. It doesn’t happen overnight; repeated exposure builds up over time, turning each breath into a hidden threat.
The Silent Symptoms of a Deadly Disease
The early signs of Farmer’s Lung are easy to dismiss. They mimic the flu—coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, and fever. The problem is that continued exposure worsens the condition, and once lung tissue is scarred, the damage is permanent. Many don’t realize they have it until their lungs are too weak to function properly.
For some, like my father, the disease progresses slowly, stealing their breath year by year. For others, a sudden, severe attack can land them in the hospital with acute respiratory distress. Without intervention, it can lead to chronic lung disease, heart strain, and an early death.
Why More People Need to Know About This
The biggest danger of Farmer’s Lung isn’t just the disease itself—it’s the lack of awareness. Too many farmers and gardeners ignore early symptoms, believing they’re just dealing with allergies or a seasonal cold. Many doctors, unless they are familiar with agricultural lung diseases, misdiagnose it as pneumonia or asthma. By the time it’s recognized for what it is, the damage is often irreversible.
You can prevent Farmer's lung, but you cannot cure it.
We need more education in agricultural and gardening communities. We need better protective practices. Most of all, we need to take lung health seriously.
How to Protect Yourself
If you work with hay, straw, grain, compost, or other organic material, take precautions:
Honoring My Father’s Memory
I wish my father had known the risks earlier. I wish he had been given the tools to protect himself. But his story doesn’t have to repeat itself. If this article makes even one person take their lung health seriously—if it saves one life—then his suffering wasn’t in vain.
Please, share this with the farmers and gardeners in your life. Talk about Farmer’s Lung. Protect your lungs. Because the work you love shouldn’t be the reason you can’t breathe.
Further Learning
Professor Emeritus, CEA Specialist Biosystems Engineering and former Director of CEAC at The University of Arizona
4 天前Henry Gordon-Smith in Arizona a similar problem is called Valley Fever. With weakness, lack of energy for several years, It left a spot on my lung, but I overcame the symptoms.
Strategic Operations Executive | Scaling Operations, Driving Growth & Leading Transformations | Expertise in Strategic Planning, Enterprise Program Management, and Product/Service Launches | Ag/Food and Conservation
4 天前Thank you for sharing this. Incredibly helpful.
Executive Director, Stacked Farm. Co-Chair & CEO, Gilbert Street Purveyor Group.
4 天前And experts say CEA and Vertical Farming is risky?? I know which field I’m backing Henry Gordon-Smith
CEO
4 天前Yes. I picked up the spores from mould in Alfalfa hay many years ago. A very old barn, and ancient hay scraps and dust. Once diagnosed, I had the usual treatments from a University Hospital who had not seen it, but had read about this type from papers written during the war years when horses went overseas in the holds of ships - there the spores were in an ideal climate for populating and passing the infection onto the people caring for the horses. Most who became infected died according to the records. So I was told. I am free of if now. A horrible disease . I understand there are many types and causes. My thoughts and prayers for those who suffer from this nasty disease. I am very familiar with the toxic affect on the plant life in gardens, pastures and crops. I am also familiar with the effect on livestock. This became a part of my project. The good thing is we can manage it, let’s correct that, I did manage it, with simple endurance, patience, and others would say a good dose of typical Scottish pig headedness for good measure. Labs and Doctors were wonderful - I was running for a lot of years trying all they could think of, but doing my all natural gut healthy treatment each night. Every good wish.
Dedicated to Impacting the planet in a positive way through biological solutions that solve big problems. Business person, serial entrepreneur, advisor to entrepreneurs and experienced board member
4 天前Thank you for this. My father died of this at age 80.